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have three weeks and an extended loop of some
3,000 kilometres ahead of us – a breeze compared
to the distance we’ve already travelled. A year
is a long time, or so we thought. But the time has just
flown by and seems to be going ever faster. We started
out with twenty-three countries to visit on our list. Then the list
got smaller and smaller until it vanished like a snowman melting
in the spring sun. But the memories of the experiences and people
we’ve met are still fresh as the morning dew. They bring a smile
to my face, or sometimes I get lost in thought.
We crossed the Balkans into Turkey. Istanbul was just for starters in
a country full of surprises, fantastic scenery and warm-hearted people.
We could hardly stop for petrol without being offered the obligatory cup of
“cay” – sweet black tea served as a token of hospitality. In Eskisehir the little
oil spill on the bend could have brought our journey to a sudden end. The kerbstone
stopped the Lc4 as it slid across the road. Luckily, a cracked mudguard and a
couple of bruises were the whole extent of the damage. On the Syrian border, where we
had to have our temperatures taken, the doctor contentedly noted down 34.7 degrees
Celsius. Should I be worried, or pleased that it’s such warm weather?
The contrast couldn’t be greater between the vibrant cities of Aleppo and
Damascus, and the desert towards Iraq. We reached the Sinai Peninsula
via the ferry from Aqaba to Nuweiba, and finally set foot on African
soil. Cairo lay before us, the largest city in Africa, with an estimated
population of 16 million. We head onto the five-lane
ring road and into the bustling metropolis. The evening
sun had slipped behind the pyramids as we cruised at
more than 60 mph through the dense traffic towards
our destination for the night.
Suddenly there was a red sea of brake lights in the
left-hand lane. A policeman, resplendent in his uniform,
was stopping one car in a hundred to give it a thorough
look over. Confidence is everything. It was a total bottleneck
when we took the ferry across the Lake Nasser
reservoir. The overland route was closed, so the
only way to go was by boat.
Once we arrived in Sudan we followed the
course of the Nile, spent our nights camping
in the desert, and kept meeting reserved,
friendly, and extremely generous
people. At some point our old